Ezekiel Bible Studies
The End of the Age and Its Restoration
|
Session 8
|
Ezekiel was definite in his description of the
destruction of Israel, Jerusalem, and the Temple. They were brought to
their end by God. Although other nations (other people) were the
instruments of annihilation, God was the one behind the scenes that was at
work bringing about His desired intentions.
Ezekiel was also clear that they were destroyed because they corrupted
themselves. The armies without could only do their work after the inner
sanctuary was defiled. The morning of doom was dawning, the rod had
blossomed, and pride had budded from the abominations in the Temple. The
adversary of God is always from within.
|
The Jewish Concept of Satan
|
|
The
clearest description of the Adversary is from the New Testament.
Perhaps, best seen in
a statement of Jesus to Peter.
|
Matthew 16:13 The exercise of the
mind
|
Paul also knew where
the Adversary to God would occur.
|
"For to be carnally minded is
death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because
the carnal mind is enmity against God" (Rom. 8:6,7)
|
"This I say therefore, and
testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other
Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the
understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God
through the ignorance that is in them, because of the
blindness of their heart" (Eph. 4:17,19)
|
Peter also knew the
power of the Adversary, the power of the uncontrolled mind.
|
"Be sober ["to
abstain from wine (keep sober), i.e. be discreet"], be
vigilant ["to keep awake, i.e. watch"]; because
your adversary ["an opponent; specially, Satan (as
the arch-enemy)"] the devil ["a traducer;
specially Satan, from a word meaning to throw"], as a
roaring lion, walketh about [ "to thread all
around," also translated by KJV as "be occupied
with"], seeking [to plot] whom he may devour
[to drink down, i.e. gulp entirely, from the root, "to
imbibe"]" (1 Peter 5:8)
|
The word
Satan is found 56 times in the entire Bible, 36 times in the New
Testament and 20 times in the Old Testament.
|
|
In the 36 times in the
New Testament that Satan is used, it is always translated off of
the same word, Saw-tawn’. It is of Hebrew origin
meaning, "an opponent; especially (with the article
prefixed) Satan, the arch-enemy of good.
|
|
Although the English
word Satan appears in the Old Testament 20 times, the original
word which Satan is translated is found 28 times (translated
"to withstand" one time, "adversary" seven
times, and "Satan" twenty times.
|
|
The first time the
original word is found is in Numbers 22:22
The first time "Satan" is found is in 1 Chronicles
21:1
Of the 20 times Satan is used in the Old Testament, 14 are in
Job (Chapters 1-2)
|
|
Who is the arch-enemy
of God? Who is it that is constantly in an adversarial role with
God? Who is it that "opposeth and exalteth himself above
all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God
sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is
God?"
|
The
Adversary
|
|
The serpent in the
Garden of Eden — Genesis 3:1-15 |
|
The fall of
"Lucifer" — Isaiah 14:1-16 |
|
The fall of Tryus —
Ezekiel 28:12-19 |
|
Satan in the story of
Job — Job 1-2
|
|
|
|
WEBINAR BIBLE STUDIES
BIBLE STUDY COURSES
PUBLISHED BOOKS
LEARN MORE
CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES
|
